Staticometer



T R Q// @F75/1 ATTORNEY Oct. 29, 1929. D. J. MoRToN STATICOMETER Filed Apri/1 9, 1927 s sheds-sheet 1 @a @y y D. J. MORTON sTATIcoMETER' oct. 29, i929.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1927 ATTORNEY oct. 29, 1929.

D. J. Mo'roN STATICOMETER Filed April 9, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 inane!` oa. ze, i929.

, mmm c. nomen. or 4naar BAVimcONNEGrICUr L srayricoimrnn animee; mea anniy e', im., ,serieu no. 182,213; y

This invention relates to process and apparatus forortho edic measurement. Great inconvenience and distress is caused by the various conditions generally loosely 5 included under the designation flat feet. lThe pliraselogy, hovvevei", hask been vso loosely ap-j plied that proper classification of the'variousA ailments included within the term and a proper estimate ofthe severityof the conditionhas not been possi-ble, by reason of the lack of'any `accurate data from which to make a diagno- It is impossible 'to form any accurate conception of foot conditions by .mere pression ofthefoot upon a surface or'by dis-y coloration ofthe under surface of the foot by the floor, or by superficial examination, since divergent conditions and different natural characteristics are not dlstinguishable by such crude methods, and heretofore no satisfactory quantitative methods of measure-A ments have been available. n

As is well known, the bones of the foot constitute two arches at right angles to each other.

the big toe to the ball ofthe little toe. It is called the metatarsal arch. The other, or principal arch, extends from the heel forwardly. The normal `foot posture, therefore, distributes the weight of the body unequally between the three points of suspension', comprisin the two ends of the metatarsal arch and e' heel. O f the two arches the lateralmetatarsal arch is by far the shorter, so that there is sometimes insuflicient ankle to bend either outwardly or inwardly throwing an increased Weight on the one en or the other of the metatarsal arch and this condition, if long continued, may become so l severe as to break down the arches of the foot since' it results in inclining the princi al arch from the vertical plane.

he actual breaking down of the arch is a condition which is :tre uently long subseilient to the original ben g of' the ankle, so at a diagnosis which responds only to a broken arch is too late to be of great service. Since, however, the incipience of the condition is accompanied by an improper distribution of weight,` the improper posture may be One of these extends from the ball of lateral stability. It is thus possible for the detected at 'once by a measurement of the weight distribution. In a co-pending application I have'shown a method and apparatus for diagnosing the improper conditions of thefoot during locomotion. The present application is concerned more particularly with determiningthe'improper conditions while the'foot-is at rest. y v

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and ,the relation and order of one or more of such steps with respect vto each' of the others, ,and the apparatusy embodying features of` construction, combinations or elements 'and arrangement of parts which are adapted to eifect such steps, ail as exemplified in tne following` detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be .in- Adicated in the claims.

For a fullerl understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should behad to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus employing this invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a side 'elevation of the same apparatus; big. 4 is a detail.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, means are provided for separately indicating the actual weight supported by the three portions of support of the `foot.

The numeral l designates a casing having a platform portion 2 and an upright portion 3, having indicating dials 4. The platform 2 is stationaryA with the casing, but there is provided therein a plurality -of the scale platforms 5, 6 and 7, Wl1ich are so disposed relative to each other that they may respectively receive the three points of suspension of the foot, as shown in Fig. 3.

As illustrated, the platform 6 is in the form of a pillar in position to receive the base of the big toe, While the platform 7 takes the form of a sleeve surrounding the said pillar. It will be obvious, however, that so long as the esl platforms are constrained to vertical movement and are positioned to receive the points. of support of the foot, that the exact location of the supporting lever structure is not of major importance.

l The device illustrated is' intended to ,receive both feet of the subject and to measure the wei ht distribution of both feet simultaneousf. Six scale latforms are therefore provided and each of) these platforms is connected by suitable lever mechanism with one of the dials 4. This mechanism is preferably such as to constrain the platforms to movement in a vertical direction, so with such construction it is unim ortant whether the portions of the foot to e measured are disposed upon the center of the scale platform or not. Because of this fact it is possible to measure different feet having very different dimensions on the same apparatus, having a fixed distance between the platforms.

The particular lever mechanism employed for connecting the scales with the indicating dials is best shown in Figures 2 and 3, in which a lever 10 is pivotally supported on knife edges, as shown at 11, to a bracket 12 attached to the main frame. This lever is in the form of a hollow quadrangle with its bearing points widely spaced laterally, to give lateral stability. A second lever 13, in the form of an open four arm, is pivoted at its intermediate side to a bracket 14 at the rear end of the frame upon knife edges, as shown at 15. The platform 5 is carried upon a spider 17 having upon its forward arms a pair of sockets 18 engaging knife yblades 19 upon the opposite sides of the lever 10 adjacent to the knife edge supports 11, While the other arms .of the spider 17 engage knife edges 19 upon the lateral arms of the lever 13 adjacent to-the knife edges 15. The outer ends of the lateral arms of the lever 13, as illustrated, carry knife edges 20, while a similar and adjacent pair of knife edges 21 is attached to the sides of the first mentioned lever 10. A hardened link 22 surrounds the knife edges 2O and 21, which have their bases adjacent to each other.

The distance between the knife edges 19 and 11 and between the knife edges 19a and 15 is such that the scale platform 5 moves.

in a vertical direction. The lever 10 carries at its outer end a knife blade 24 which engages a link 25 to operate the dial of the indicating device.

The other scale platforms .are connected t0 the indicating dials by mechanism substantially identical with that just described, so that a detailed description of it is superfluous.

A bar 26 is carried by the platform 2 and by a ledge 27 on the main frame to serve as a hand rail to assist the subject in maintaining his position.

A handle 28 at the end of a lever 29 is rotatably mounted upon a plate 30 carried by the upstanding portion of the frame. This carries an eccentric arm 31 engaging one of a pair of rods 34 and 35 which are mounted for lateral sliding movement in the upstanding portion of the frame and are urged in opposite directions toward thesides of the frame by springs 36 and 37. A lever 32, pivoted as at 33 to the main frame, engages pins 38 and 39 upon the rods 34 and 35, so that as the handle 28 is turned, the'rods 34 and 35 are moved laterally in opposite directions, each against the com ression of its own spring. Each of the ro s carries a plurality of dampening fingers 40 and 41 respectively in position to engage the lateral sides of the upright rod 25, which connects the lever 10 with the indicating dials. In this manner the lever 29 may serve to dampen .the movement of the apparatus and permit a patient to ascend to position on the machine without undue strain upon the indicating device.

In utilizing the device the patient is caused to get up on the platform, place his feet in position so that the three oints of suspension are respectively on the t ee different platforms. Thereupon, the handle 28 may be turned to permit freedom of motion of the dials, thus indicating at once the weight distribution upon the machine.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process and in the constructions set forth, which embody the invention may be made lwithout de arting from'its scope, it is intended that al matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter 0f language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Thus, by this process and apparatus the foot diculties may be properly diagnosed before the chance of remedying them has been impaired by their becoming too fixed .a habit.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising in combination three scale platforms arranged to conform with the three points 0f suspension of the foot and indicating means for each of said platforms and a lever mechanism associated with each of said platforms and connecting the same to its corresponding indicatin device, said lever mechanism being adapte to constrain the corresponding platform to movement in a vertical direction.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination three platforms, an indicating device connected to each of Said platforms by mechanism including means adapted to constrain the movement of said platform to a vertical direction, said platforms being-arranged to conform substantially with the distances between the pointel lll onstitutin the two ends of the metatarsal arch and t e heel of the human foot.

3. A device for determining abnormality of weight distribution between the three points of suspension of the human foot, comprising three related scale devices having platforms substantially in the same plane, said scale devices being arranged so that the heel of a foot may rest on one of them, one end of the metatarsal arch on the second, and the other end of the metatarsal arch on the third.

4. Means for ascertaining whether one end or the other of the metatarsal arch of a human foot is sustaining an abnormal weight,

comprising a platform for receiving the heel of the foot, a platform in the form of a pillar for receiving the ball of the big toe, constituting one end of the metatarsal arch, and another platform in the form of a sleeve surrounding said pillar, for receiving the other end of the metatarsal arch.

5. A machine for measuring the distribution of weight on the arches of each foot, comprising a series of platforms for each foot, the platforms being in the same plane, the platforms for each foot being arranged and aving individual supports to it the heel and each end of the metatarsal arch, the platforms being arranged so that a person may stand thereon with both feet, the same as on a level surface.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

DUDLEY J. MORTON. 

